Kentucky's Janee Thompson (3) shoots next to Tennessee's Ariel Massengale (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky., Sunday, March 3, 2013. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
AP

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Former University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. was among the fans who filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky senior guard A'dia Mathies ran through a sign commemorating her final home game before the start of the Wildcats' game against Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky senior forward Brittany Henderson was introduced Sunday during the Senior Day ceremony before the start of the Wildcats' game against Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell stood with his wife, Jenna, and their daughter, Sailor, during Senior Day ceremonies before the start of the Wildcats' game against Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky senior forward Brittany Henderson stood with her family as she was honored before the start of her final home game. With her from left, are her father, Vynell, her sister Tierra, and her mother, Elaine. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky forward Samarie Walker got a high-five from Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell when she left late in the game against Tennessee. Walker finished with 10 points, three rebounds and five steals. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

UK guard A'dia Mathies, center, was honored with her family, including her father, Johnny, on Sunday before the Wildcats' game against Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

A'dia Mathies's father, Johnny, talked with her Sunday after the Senior Day ceremony before the Wildcats' game against Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky seniors A'dia Mathies, left, and, Brittany Henderson had their photo taken with coach Matthew Mitchell after the Senior Day ceremony on Sunday, as the Wildcats hosted Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Asia Mathies, the sister of Kentucky senior A'dia Mathies, took a photo of her family before the Senior Day ceremony on Sunday, when Kentucky hosted Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky fans filled Memorial Coliseum on Sunday to watch the women's basketball team play Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

The Kentucky women's basketball team celebrated after defeating Tennessee on Sunday. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell was congratulated by his team Sunday after the Wildcats beat Tennessee, 78-62. The victory made Mitchell Kentucky's winningest women's basketball coach, with 139 wins. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky guard A'dia Mathies got a hug from Tennessee assistant coach Kyra Elzy, a former Kentucky assistant, after Sunday's game. Mathies, one of two seniors playing their final home game, finished with 16 points, four assists, four rebounds, four steals, two blocked shots and zero turnovers. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

The Kentucky Wildcat had some fun Sunday during Kentucky's game against Tennessee. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky guard A'dia Mathies drove to the basket past Tennessee forward Cierra Burdick on Sunday. In her final home game, Mathies finished with 16 points, four assists, four rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky guard A'dia Mathies shot a fade-away over Tennessee guard Taber Spani. In her final home game, Mathies finished with 16 points, four assists, four rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Matthew Mitchell applauded his team as they sang the school song, as #9 Kentucky defeated #16 South Carolina 78-74 on February 14, 2013 in Lexington, Ky. Photo by Mark Cornelison | Staff
Herald-Leader

In the grand scheme of things, this game wasn't supposed to mean much.

Tennessee already had clinched the Southeastern Conference title a few days before.

But Matthew Mitchell wasn't concerned about No. 10 Kentucky lacking motivation against the eighth-ranked Lady Vols. Not one bit.

"I made it very, very plain that nothing was acceptable today but victory for those two kids," the UK coach said of A'dia Mathies and Brittany Henderson on their Senior Day. "Nobody wanted to be around me today if we'd lost.

"I wasn't in the mood for anything but a victory today."

And a victory is what Kentucky gave its coach and its seniors at Memorial Coliseum. The Cats never trailed and led by as many as 19 points to top Tennessee 78-65 on Sunday.

The victory, which ended the Lady Vols' six-game win streak, made Mitchell the program's all-time wins leader with 139. It also made UK the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, which starts Wednesday in Duluth, Ga.

"We went out there and wanted to win with a purpose," said Mathies, who had 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocked shots to add to her UK lore. "We came out with great energy and effort. We just decided to get a win in Memorial Coliseum for the last time."

The Cats' energy and effort resulted in a season-high 31 turnovers for Tennessee. In contrast, the Lady Vols scored just nine points off 12 Cats miscues.

"Their team defense really kind of got everybody sick a little bit," said guard Meighan Simmons, who had 17 points and seven rebounds but also six turnovers. "Like I said, (if) we come in patient and come in poised, everything comes a little bit easier for us."

But against UK's pressure, nothing came easily for the Lady Vols (23-6, 14-2).

Mitchell's pre-game pep talk made sure of that.

UK opened the game with gusto, making its first four three-point attempts (two apiece for Bria Goss and Jennifer O'Neill) to grab an 18-8 lead in the first seven minutes.

O'Neill had 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. Goss finished with 12 points off the bench for the Cats.

But after that early surge, UK managed to make just one bucket over the next six minutes while Tennessee was able to regroup.

Trailing 30-17 with 5:27 left in the first half, the Lady Vols went on a 13-2 run. Bashaara Graves' shot in the lane in the final minute pulled Tennessee within two. Graves, who picked up two fouls just a couple minutes into the game, had 10 points at the break.

That's when things got a little strange. With a few ticks of the clock left before the half, Samarie Walker drove the lane and dished to Azia Bishop, who hit a layup as time expired to give UK a 36-32 edge.

But a blocking foul was called on Graves, who tried to stop Walker's drive. After reviewing the play, the officials counted Bishop's basket and sent Walker to the free-throw line for a one-and-one, which she missed.

Despite 19 first-half turnovers and having its shot total doubled (44 attempts for UK to 22 for Tennessee), UT managed to stay in the game.

Mitchell and his team were undaunted by their shrinking lead.

"I thought really we were dominating the game in the first half and I thought Tennessee was very, very fortunate for the margin to be four at halftime," Mitchell said.

At the break, Mitchell reminded his team what it was playing for: Mathies and Henderson.

Kentucky (25-4, 13-3) reasserted itself by scoring nine unanswered points to open the half. Walker started it by stealing the inbounds pass and taking it in for two of her 10 points. She had three rebounds and a career-high-tying five steals.

That 9-0 run ballooned into a 21-6 spurt that helped UK grab its largest lead of the game, 57-38, with 12:06 to play.

"They played with tremendous intensity and passion today and when we do that, we're a pretty good basketball team," Mitchell said.

DeNesha Stallworth added 12 points and eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end. UK had 19 offensive boards in all, a stat that frustrated Tennessee Coach Holly Warlick.

"We just got outworked today and outhustled," she said. "We didn't get the job done, so credit to Kentucky and how hard they played and what they did to us."